


Too Late

by ThereIsNoTragedyInThat



Series: Spirits and Cocaine [18]
Category: Narcos (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Compatibility, Heavy Angst, Hurt No Comfort, Javier you fool, M/M, Mutual Pining, One Shot, Prompt Fic, Rejection, in that it's exactly the same, this is different
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-18 12:48:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29609655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThereIsNoTragedyInThat/pseuds/ThereIsNoTragedyInThat
Summary: Javier Peña found his soulmate fifteen years too fucking late.
Relationships: Connie Murphy/Steve Murphy (Narcos), Steve Murphy/Javier Peña
Series: Spirits and Cocaine [18]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2100027
Comments: 11
Kudos: 31





	Too Late

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Aging
> 
> So if it isn't obvious, I am working my way through (half a dozen) prompt lists. This is for a soulmate specific list and while I don't follow the prompt exactly, I think we can still have some fun <3

Javier rubbed absently at his chest, knuckles digging in deep, while his other hand gripped the neck of his beer bottle a little too tightly. The bar was almost abandoned aside from the group lounging on tables outside, which just left him and the worried gaze of Angelica, quietly cleaning glasses and watching him. He didn’t blame her; he never came in this early and he was usually happy to have a conversation…but sufficed to say he was not in the fucking mood.

The impression of a question seemed to float to the forefront of his mind, a hint of frustration causing the ache in his chest to spike and Javier gritted his teeth against it, willing himself not to react. It was just his luck that his soulmate would turn out to be Steve Murphy, a man who had walked up to him with his wide smile and confident swagger, his idealism practically dripping off his body like he thought he was going to change the world.

He wasn’t all bad, there was enough common sense in him not say a word when their hands touched, and they were both blindsided by feeling of them connecting. Murphy had looked dazed and Javier had snatched his hand back like he’d been burned, grateful that the other man had followed him around like a fucking puppy after that.

Steve was looking for him, had been ever since he’d announced they’d be going to Medellín and had left him in the less than capable hands of the retirees, so he could escape here. There was a spark of something in the back of his mind and that was going take some getting used to, parsing out his emotions and Murphy’s, but he got the distinct impression that he wouldn’t be alone for long.

Sighing, Javier took a long swig of his beer, throat working hard to finish it just as he heard the men outside go quiet. He grimaced and wiped his lips, lifted a hand to catch Angelica’s eyes, beckoning her over and being so damned grateful when he didn’t have to look at his partner for a few more seconds. She dropped it off without a word, gaze lingering on Murphy and if he was honest…he didn’t blame her one bit.

“Javier,” his voice, he realized, had a bit of a southern twang in it, subtle enough that he must have practiced getting rid of it.

“Peña, Call me Peña.”

Steve didn’t like that, and Javier wondered if he projected that strongly as well. He really fucking hoped not, “we need to talk about this.”

That got his attention, made him finally turn on the barstool and stare at Murphy in disbelief. The man was still dressed in that damn suit, all clean professionalism and Javier hated how the man’s broad shoulders and tall stature made his mouth practically water. If only he wasn’t so fucking stupid…maybe there would have been something to this whole soulmate thing.

“There’s nothing to talk about,” he murmured firmly, mindful of the people that might hear him. “Absolutely nothing.”

Steve’s jaw flexed, a bit of fire in his eyes and in any other situation Javier would revel in the fact that his soulmate had a bit of a temper, something simmering beneath the surface that promised excitement and adventure, except that he had a feeling this would only make things all the more difficult.

Shaking his head, Steve leaned a bit closer, voice tight with strictly controlled emotion, “I thought you were-”

“Dead?” Javi lifted his beer. “You weren’t the only one.” Fifteen years too late, 26 being the cut off age for people to find their soulmate. If they didn’t show up by then, well chances were good they were either dead, non-existent, or you were the single most unlucky motherfucker in the whole god damn world. Javier almost wished it _was_ because he were dead, though even that thought sent a stab of pain through his heart and from the way Steve flinched, he felt it too.

Steve’s hand clenched at his side, “you seriously don’t want to talk about this?”

“Talk about what?” he hissed. “I sized you up the moment you walked up to me Murphy.” His mouth opened in protest, but Javier forged ahead, ignoring the increasingly painful ache behind his ribs, the way the words seemed to scrape their way up his throat. “You’re married, aren’t you? I can only assume you love em’ right?”

Steve didn’t say anything, brows furrowed and angry, which was fine because Javier could feel that he loved her and he wasn’t ready to let her go which was his point, “good, it’s a _good_ thing that you found someone you love. Finding me doesn’t change that.” He’d made peace with not finding his soulmate when he turned twenty-three, had always been perfectly fine with the thought of them finding someone else to love, if they were actually out there. Javier wasn’t a possessive man, but the realization that it happened, did feel like a kick to the ribs, an acute pain that he was more than capable of surviving.

“You came here for a reason, right?” His partner frowned, eyes stormy, like he didn’t quite know where he was going with this, like he didn’t know Javier wasn’t above blackmail to make this all go away, “This job is my life and there is too much shit at stake for the both of us if we even think about this. If the DEA finds out about it well, one of us is being shipped off and it isn’t going to be me.”

Javier watched him closely, tried to suck in air but it felt like a noose had tightened around his throat and from the paleness of the man beside him, he wasn’t the only one. He wasn’t obtuse, this was cruel, and he was approaching Steve liked he’d purposely stepped into his life just to fuck it up and this had to be just as hard on him…but he’d meant what he said. Not only would he not risk this job, he _wasn’t_ going to force his soulmate to abandon a loving a relationship for the wreckage that was Javier’s life.

“So, you just want to pretend like we’re not destined?” he grit out.

There was that idealism again and Javier knew from experience that shit could kill a man. Turning away from him, he reached for his beer and took a long swig from it, “we leave for Medellín in the morning, either you be there, or you go home. Its up to you.”

Steve stood there for a long moment, staring at him like he’d been punched across the face, before turning on his heel and walking away, leaving Javier right where he started but this time, each step he took seemed to tug on his heart, cracks weaving their way through him and he’d never experienced heartbreak quite like this before. Closing his eyes against the pain, he didn’t dare look over at him, didn’t dare watch him retreat because if he did…he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from racing after the other half of his soul.


End file.
